A short drive to the nearest WOTA/SOTA yesterday , to work 2M , 70cms , FM, and 40M and 20M ssb .
Tony M7OUD was going to be on Black Combe . He works 2m,4M and 70cms , as I did where over at Skipton the other week , which is where Tony resides . He got me on all three bands from home and said he’d be in the Lakes this week . It was good to get the S2S with him yesterday and a surprise one with Reg who was on Watch hill .
I never had 4M on the day , but Reg gave him a 4m S2S which he’ll have been happy with no doubt.
I was trying out my modified dual band flowerpot antenna 70cms/2m .
I’ll stick photos below , it’s now an optional phasing element which can be added if needed . Just a bit of 23 .5 cm plastic tube with tinfoil wrapped round and shrink tubed in place . The antenna is cut for 2m and the tube dropped onto the antenna . I used a cable tie as a stop which was loosly clipped , so I could move the tube up or down for tuning 70sms (2m is not affected ) when tuned the cable tie was tightened and taped in place . and the tube can be removed and used as needed . The reactance on the VNA was OK and the SWR curve was no more than 1-15 at either end of the band and about 1-1.1 at 433.5 Mhz .
Did surprisingly well on 20m including a /MM on a yacht near the Orkneys , also using a G90 radio . as the bands have been a bit iffy and had one or two on 40m also .
Richard .
The tube going on the antenna ( The Yaesu sticker was one I found in the drawer)
Drops down to the stop which was positioned when tuning.
Ready for use . On Flat Fell only did 2m so left the 70cms tube off
